Ciarah Bennett, from Salford, feared she was going to die when she was set upon by a pitbull-type dog at a friend's home

A fifteen-year-old girl has described the terrifying 25-minute attack by a vicious 'devil dog' which left her covered in more than 20 bite marks.

Ciarah Bennett was at her friend's house when she was set upon by the pitbull-type dog.

The powerful beast ran into the room and grabbed her leg in its jaws before dragging her to the floor.

Petrified Ciarah managed to wriggle free and hid in a wardrobe - but the crazed animal managed to open the door with its nose and carried on biting her arm.

The horrific ordeal only came to an end when her brave friend managed to wrench the dog free by grabbing its head.

Ciarah was rushed to hospital where she required a three-hour skin graft operation on a deep wound to her right leg.

The teenager, from Higher Broughton, Salford, said: "I was in the bedroom when it came running through and grabbed my leg. I thought I was going to die. I was crying and trying to fight back. I kept getting dragged to the floor. It was really strong.

"I was screaming 'help me, help me'. I got in the wardrobe but it got in with me and jumped up and got my arm. It dug its other paw in me and tried to get my throat.

"I got out of the wardrobe with the dog still on my arm and it dragged me by the leg again for another 10 minutes while I held on to the bed."

Ciarah, who spent nine days in hospital, suffered 20 bite marks across both legs, nerve damage to her right leg and bites to her right arm. Her right leg and arm are in plaster, she has to use crutches to walk and she will need physiotherapy.

She added: "I am still in a lot of pain and I have had a few nightmares since."

Her mother Chantel Bennett, 35, said: "This has had a big psychological impact on Ciarah."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a pitbull type dog was seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act from a house on November 25.